Good places to live for retired woman into tai chi, therapies etc

[retiringactively]

Name changed for this. Posting on behalf of a relative who is recently widowed, late sixties, has lived around the world and wants to live in a place back here that is less conventional/has lots of alternative therapy practitioners (that's what she does still and feels it means there would be likeminded people), has green space (not a big city) and independent shops and cafes.

Vaguely near an airport with flights to Europe although that's not an absolute essential.

Ideas please!

Edinburgh. I know you said no cities but as cities go it’s very uncitylike.
Some lovely areas like Stockbridge or Colinton which are more like villages. Excellent bus service and can get a tram from the city centre to the airport in half an hour.

Glastonbury.

Forest Row, Sussex.

Totnes, Hebden Bridge, Brighton

Doesn’t meet the airport criteria but Bridport, Dorset.

Hebden, Brighton or Saltaire

Totnes - you'd love it.

Hebden and Totnes are coming up a lot! We'll look into those two.

Not sure about Brighton. Might be a bit too busy.

Totnes
Twinned with Narnia.
Google it 😀😀
ETA: I love Totnes!

Harrogate. You can catch a bus to Leeds Bradford Airport from there

Edinburgh

Lewes in East Sussex. Attracts an alternative crowd, up the road from Brighton & Hove if she wants a bit more going on, not far from Gatwick plus easy to get to London. Also surrounded by the beautiful South Downs so lots of green space.

Frome

Hebden is lovely (grew up there) but it’s not so near an airport and it’s not as good as it used to be, sadly there just aren’t as many amenities as there once were (although having the Willow Garden florist makes up for anything in my view). Better for choice somewhere like Halifax or Huddersfield (lovely Alexander House in Huddersfield for example and lots of good Reiki etc around).

Hebden/mytholmroyd or whitby,

Lewes!

There isn’t a very alternative vibe though, in fact it’s really quite conservative.

Totnes

Another vote for Lewes !

Make sure it’s high up it in Hebden, most people I know there have been flooded multiple times

Lewes is extremely expensive. Hebden Bridge floods badly. Stroud would be the obvious choice for me.

Another vote for Totnes, I know it well. Airport is a bugger but there is a direct train to London at least and it ticks all the others.

Totnes or Bridport

Totnes...it's where ley lines cross... apparently

Agree with Stroud - gorgeous countryside and views, plus some other really nice /useful towns (Cirencester, Cheltenham, Gloucester) in easy reach.